New England Distribution

Non-native: introduced
(intentionally or
unintentionally); has become naturalized.

County documented: documented
to exist in the county by
evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers
those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).

State documented: never been
documented from the
county, but known from the state. May be present. Or,
may be restricted to a small area or a habitat (alpine,
marsh, etc.), so unlikely found in some
counties.

Note: when native and non-native
populations both exist in a county, only native status
is shown on the map.

North America Distribution

Facts About

Pendulus flowers, with male and female flowers on separate plants, make early meadow-rue relatively easy to recognize. It is favored as a native garden plant for its delicate foliage and distinctive fruits.

the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)

the leaf blade is orbicular (roughly circular, as wide as long)

the leaf blade is reniform (kidney-shaped; wider than long)

Leaf blade surface colors

the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color

Leaf blade texture

the leaf blade is herbaceous (has a leafy texture)

Leaf duration

the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)

Leaf form

the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture

Leaf shiny

the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny

Leaf spines

there are no spines on the leaf edges

Leaf stalk

the leaves have leaf stalks

Leaf stalk attachment to leaf

the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade

Leaf stalk length

30–60 mm

Leaf teeth and lobes

the leaf has lobes that radiate from the base, somewhat like a hand

Leaf type

the leaves are compound (made up of two or more discrete leaflets

Leaf types

There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).

Leaf variation

the lower leaves are larger, toothier, and/or on longer stalks than the upper leaves

Leaflet number

3

Leaflet petiolules

the leaflets of the compound leaf have petiolules

Leaves per node

there is one leaf per node along the stem

Pinnately compound leaf type

the pinnately compound leaves have a terminal leaflet (and usually have an odd number of leaflets per axis)

Specific leaf type

the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis

the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis, and each lobe itself has rows of lobes on each side of the lobe's central axis

the leaf has lobes that themselves have lobes, and these secondary lobes also have lobes; there may be more than three levels of lobes

Stipels

there are no stipels at the bases of the petiolules

Stipule features

NA

Stipule shape

the stipules are another shape than the choices given

the stipules are ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)

Stipules

there are no stipules on the plant

Teeth per side of leaf blade

0

Place

Habitat

terrestrial

wetlands

New England state

Connecticut

Maine

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

Rhode Island

Vermont

Specific habitat

forests

river or stream floodplains

shores of rivers or lakes

Scent

Plant odor

the plant does not have much of a smell

Stem, shoot, branch

Branched tendrils

NA

Hair between stem nodes

the stem has hairs between the nodes

the stem has no hairs between the nodes

Hairs between stem nodes

the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled

the stem has no hairs between the nodes

Hooked hairs on stem between nodes

no

Leaves on stem

there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem

Plant height

30–80 cm

Stem bloom

there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem

Stem nodes swollen

the stem is not swollen at the nodes

Stem orientation

the stems are upright or angled outwards

Stem roughness between nodes

the stem does not feel rough

Tendril origin

NA

Tendrils

the plant does not have tendrils

Wings on stem

the stem does not have wings on it

Wetland Status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands.
(Wetland indicator code:
FACU)

New England Distribution and Conservation Status

Distribution

Connecticut

present

Maine

present

Massachusetts

present

New Hampshire

present

Rhode Island

present

Vermont

present

Conservation Status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to
state. For details, please check with your state.